Facsimile pen



J. J. MACKLIN FACSIMILE PEN Feb. 8, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 17, 1964 INVENTOR. JACOB J. MAC KLI N BY ja ibjzm J. J. MACKLIN Feb. 8, 1966 FAGSIMILE PEN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 17, 1964 Fig.6

INVENTOR. JACOB J. M ACKLIN MSW United States Patent @fihce 3,233,543 Patented Feb. 8, 1956 3,233,543 FACSHMELE PEN Jacob J. Machlin, 5632 Montezuma Road, San Diego, Calif. 92115 Filed Feb. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 345,184 4 Claims. (Q1. Till-33%) The present invention relates generally to a facsimile pen and more particularly to such a pen which is provided with a movable rubber die mounted on a flexible belt.

More specifically, the invention proposes the construction of a self-inking stamp or facsimile pen which provides an improvement over the present day rubber stamps by obviating the necessity of pressing the rubber stamp onto an ink soaked stamp pad before each use of the rubber stamp. The invention proposes providing a hollow cylindrical body relatively long with respect to its diameter, in which is mounted a removable and replaceable ink reservoir in fluid contact with a rubber stamping die carried by a movable flexible belt. die may consist of any suitable characters desired to be printed. It has particular utility as a signature writer wherein a persons signature is impressed in the stamping die, but is not limited to this particular use.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved facsimile pen having a movable rubber die in contact with an inking pad.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved facsimile pen characterized by a two-part housing completely enclosing the parts of the pen.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a facsimile pen characterized by a housing enclosing a movable rubber stamping die in which the rolling motion of the component parts will cause the rubber stamp die to be inked immediately prior to accomplishing the impression of the material provided on the rubber die.

Finally, it is an object to provide a facsimile pen of the aforementioned character which is simple and convenient to use and which will give generally efficient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, par-- ticularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawings which form a material part of this disclosure, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of my improved facsimile pen, partly in section;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-Z of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3--3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FiG URE 5 is a lower end view; and

FIGURE 6 is a view illustrating the operation of my pen.

Referring to FIGURES 1-5, the facsimile pen, according to this invention, includes an elongated hollow housing 10, having an opening 12 in the bottom thereof through which a movable rubber die member may project. For ease of assembly the housing 11) may preferably be formed of two similar members 14 and 16 held in assembled relationship by bolts or other suitable means 18 and 2t extending through openings in the housing it The upper end or" the members 14 and T6 are formed with laterally extending portions 22 and 24 respectively which abut as shown to form a closed end. Suitable bosses 26 and 23 formed on the members 14 and 16 respectively abut to form a suitable spacing means for the lower end of the members it and 16.

The stamping Extending laterally across the interior of housing adjacent the opening 12 is a shaft 30, rotatively mounted in members 14 and 16. Adjacent the top of housing and also extending laterally across the interior thereof is a second shaft 32 also rotatively mounted in members l4 and 1d. Rotatively mounted on shaft 309 is a pressure roller 34 having spaced guide flanges 36 and 3h. Rcta-tively mounted on shaft 32 is a second roller 43 having guide flanges 42 and 4&4.

Trained over the rollers 34 and 49 is an endless belt 46. To provide for accurate placement of the belt 46 relative to the rollers 34 and 1-h, the inner surface of the belt is provided with teeth or serrations 38 extending transversely across the belt. Rollers 34 and are provided on the periphery thereof with similar teethor serrations 5b and 52 respectively. It will be evident that this structure provides a positive drive between the belt and rollers. Roller 4-9 is hollow and is provided with a torsional spring return means 54 housed therein for a purpose that will be hereinafter described. Gne end of spring 54 is secured at 56 to roller 40 while the other end is secured to shaft 32 at 53.

The die strip of the belt is indicated by the reference numeral 64 This die strip contains the signature or other matter desired to be reproduced. If the belt 46 is formed of rubber or like material, the die strip may be molded as an integral part thereof. Alternatively the die strip may be separately formed and secured to the belt by a suitable adhesive.

An idler roller 62 is rotatively mounted on pin 64 suitably secured in members l4 and 16 adjacent roller til. As will be seen from FIGURE 1 the idler roller guides the belt 46 so that the two runs thereof are substantially parallel thus providing space for a removable inl: reservoir or capsule 65. Idler roller 62 is also provided with a groove 68 adjacent the midpoint thereof for a purpose that will be hereinafter described.

Capsule as may be of any desired size and shape to fit within the two halves 14 and 16 of housing ltl. As here shown it consists of an elongated hollow casing having a curved rear wall itl, shaped to fit the inside of housing ll), and a flat front wall '72. Shoulders 74 and 76 on members 14 and 16 respectively engage the front wall 72 and prevent lateral movement of the capsule 66 while shoulders 78 and 8d engage the top and bottom respectively to prevent longitudinal movement of the capsule 66. An opening 82 in the bottom wall of capsule 66 is provided with a porous wick 84 from which ink is fed to an inking roller 36 journalled on a pin 88 suitably mounted in the wall of housing 1i). inking roller 86 is so positioned relative to the die strip 66 that it will exert a slight pressure on the die strip as the belt 46 is fed between the inking roller and the pressure roller 34. A suitable cap 90 is removably engaged in position over either end of the housing ill. The cap 90 is: provided on one side with a pocket clip by which the facsimile pen may be conveniently carried in ones pocket.

OPERATION The manner of using the self-inking facsimile pen is as follows:

Normally the parts are in position as shown in FIG- URE l with the cap @tl as shown in solid lines. The pen is placed on paper 94 or other material to be imprinted at a slight angle as shown in the broken line position on the left hand side of FIGURE 6, with the belt 46 in contact with paper 94. If desired a series of ribs 96 may be provided on the belt 46 just ahead of the die strip portion 60 to increase the frictional contact between the belt 46 and paper 94. The pen is then moved to the right as indicated by arrow 98 until the complete die strip has moved over the paper 94 thereby imprinting the desired information.

At this point a limit stop 1% on belt 46 will engage a fixed stop 1W2 in housing 10 thereby preventing further n1ovement of belt 46. During the printing step just described, return spring 54 will have been tensioned so that upon release of the pen from the paper roller it? Will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction by spring 5'4 returning the die strip to the position shown in FIGURE 1. Return stop 1% is so positioned on belt 46 that it will engage fixed stop Hi2 when the forward portion of the die strip dtl has returned to its initial position adjacent the printing roller 86. Groove 68 in idler roller 62 is of such width as to permit passage of return stop 1 M during the in"? printing step. The stops Mill and iii are spaced apart on the belt a distance substantially equal to the length of the die strip portion es.

Removal and replacement of ink reservoir capsule as is facilitated by removing the fastening means 18 and 2d and separating the two halves 14 and 16 of housing re. This also exposes the belt 46 for cleaning and/ or replacement as desired.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A facsimile pen comprising:

an elongated hollow body having an open end;

a pressure roller rotatively mounted in said hollow body adjacent said open end;

a second roller rotatively mounted in said hollow body;

an endless belt engaging said rollers so that a portion of said belt extends through said open end;

a rubber-like die strip mounted on said endless belt;

an inking roller in said hollow body in Contact with said die strip;

a reservoir capsule in said hollow body in fluid communication with said inking roller;

said reservoir capsule being a removable and replaceable self-contained unit;

said second roller including spring means biasing it to turn in one direction;

fixed stop means on said hollow body and spaced stop means on said belt adapted to engage said fixed stop means to limit the travel of said belt;

said stop means on the belt being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the length of said die strip.

2. The structure of claim 1 further including starting ribs positioned on said belt ahead of said die strip whereby starting of said belt is facilitated.

3. The structure of claim it further including gear teeth on the surface of said rollers and correspondingly shaped teeth on the inner surface of said belt.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which said body consists of two similar longitudinally extending portions and means to detachably secure said portions together.

References Cited by the Examiner UNYIED STATES PATENTS 321,223 6/1885 Keeler 10l-329 547,973 10/1895 Turner lO1-364 950,27 2/1910 Current et al l0l-329 1,231,759 7/1917 Lindernann 10l330 2,393,509 4/1946 Vveisenthal d lOl-329 2,678,082 5/1954 Roell et a1 l0l--330 3,164,086 1/1965 Keck l0 l-1ll E. PULFREY, Primary Exaiizinei'.

REED I. FlSl-IER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FACSIMILE PEN COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED HOLLOW BODY HAVING AN OPEN END; A PRESSURE ROLLER ROTATIVELY MOUNTED IN SAID HOLLOW BODY ADJACENT SAID OPEN END; A SECOND ROLLER ROTATIVELY MOUNTED IN SAID HOLLOW BODY; AN ENDLESS BELT ENGAGING SAID ROLLERS SO THAT A PORTION OF SAID BELT EXTENDS THROUGH SAID OPEN END; A RUBBER-LIKE DIE STRIP MOUNTED ON SAID ENDLESS BELT; AN INKING ROLLER IN SAID HOLLOW BODY IN CONTACT WITH SAID DIE STRIP; A RESERVOIR CAPSULE IN SAID HOLLOW BODY IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID INKING ROLLER; SAID RESERVOIR CAPSULE BEING A REMOVABLE AND REPLACEABLE SELF-CONTAINED UNIT; SAID SECOND ROLLER INCLUDING SPRING MEANS BIASING IT TO TURN IN ONE DIRECTION; FIXED STOP MEANS ON SAID HOLLOW BODY AND SPACED STOP MEANS ON SAID BELT ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID FIXED STOP MEANS TO LIMIT THE TRAVEL OF SAID BELT; SAID STOP MEANS ON THE BELT BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF SAID DIE STRIP. 